Weeding tool



July 22, 1941.

l R. J. PETZ ETAL WEEDING TOOL Filed Dec. ll, 1.940

Patented `uly 22, 1941 'l TE-D STATE S P? E N "i" F FI CE rtroit, Mich., assignors to Rifle Weeder Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigall Application December 11, 1940, Serial No. 369,606

10 Claims.

invention relates'to weeding `tools and has particular reference toa-new and improved'form 'of construction of ahand operated weeding 'tool which -isparticularly .adapted -for removing Weeds such ,as `dandelions from turfs and gardens.

:A principal object of our invention is to provide a manually operated weeding tool which ris constructed and vadaptedto remove weeds and the roots thereof from turfs and gardens, with a minimum amount of time and effort on the part of the operator.

Anotherobject of our invention is to provide anovel Land improved form of construction for a Weedng'tool of the character set forth.

`Another object Aof our invention is to provide a cweeding tool vof ,the character set forth, of suchonstructionthat parts of the same may be readily replaced the event of injury thereto.

'Eurther objects .of thevinvention will be apparent `from a `considerationof the following specification takenin .conjunction with the accompanying sheet of drawings, wherein:

Fig. A1 is an .elevational view, with some parts broken J away `Iand others shown in section, of a Aweeding -tool constructed in accordance with our invention;

Fig. .2 is a vsectional view taken along the line 2-,2.of1Fig.1looking in the direction of the arrowsand .showing the construction of the cam plate and the relationshipthereof to the prongs;

' Fig. `3 isa sectiontaken in the plane .along the linefi-B of Fig. v1, looking in the direction of the arrowsand showing the ,assembly of the prongs totheflower end of the tool;

LEig.' *,a sectional view taken in the plane along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the construction of theshaft lock;

`Fig.5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-15 of 2 .and'illustrating the construction of the detachable stop Vand lock bar which removably secures the handle to the. remaining part of the tool;

Fig. 6 is asectiontaken along the line 6-6 of Fig. `1 Vand illustrating l,the construction and arrangement of the spacer and stop washer for taking the thrust of ,theejecting mechanism upon the release thereof; and

VFigf'? 'is aperspective View of the handle part of the tool.

Ynithejform of4 the invention selected vfor purposes ofiillustgratiomthe weeding tool vcomprises a tubular body -mem'ber I0 having a handle I2 secured-to YoneVv end thereof and a plurality of prongs I4 securedto'the-other end thereof. vThe tubularsbody member |50, as illustratemconsists of -a tube, -which for-ms 4a Yhousing for at leasta part of the locking andejecting mechanism. The handle lfalso preferably is-hollow and isadapted to house atrigger mecha-nismwhich is connected to the `locking lmechanism -for releasing the same. The handle I2 may 'comprise va pair of complementarily Vshaped stampings Vor castings I6, each of which lforms approximately one half or 4one side Aof the handlefthe jjoin-t between the Yparts I6 lying in a plane valong the central'longitudinal axis of the'handle. The Vparts I6 maybe .ref

movably secured together bymeansfof screws I8 cooperating with the parts-I6 in such a manner as to clampthe same'together as a unit. `The handle I2 is shaped -to provide a'hand grasp portion 20 and a curved neck22 which connects the portion 20 with the'part124 `of the handle which'is removably connected Y'to one end of the body member I0. 'The terminal YV25 of the part "24 of the -handle is of a reduced 'diameter relative to the remaining part of the hand1eso as'to provide a VshoulderZl against which the end ofthe tube I0 seats. The outside diameter of the termina125 is approximately thesame as the internal diameter Vof theendof 'the'tube I0, so as to provde a snug fit therebetween.

The *lower end of the tube I0 is provided with aseries of slots'28and with a series of apertures 30 in line with the slots 28. The lowersend of the tube just above theapertures 30 is provided With an internal shoulder 4312, anda retainerlock bushing 434 is fitted within the end of the ktube and seated againstthe shoulder ,32. The bushing 3 4 is `of annularshape and is provided Vwith a series of axially extending slots. 36 in the peripherythereof and which register Ywith thevslots 28 and rapertures 36 in the lowerend of the tube. Each kof the prongs I4,is provided .with a hookshaped portion 33 ,at the upper end thereof, this portion r3.8. extending through Avthe vslot A28 into the slot 3 6 in the bushingl34andthence through the corresponding aperture V30 lfor pivotal'ly .securing the prong I4 to theelower end of the tube I0. The prongs I4 are uniformly spaced in the form of a circle around the lower end of Athe tube I0 and in such a way that Vthe prongs I4, when pushed straight downwardly into the earth, are adapted to telescope the -root of a weed. `The llowerend of the prongs I4 are pointed, .as 'indicated-.at 40, so as to facilitate the entry of the prongs into the soil about the root of the weed. Thelower ends of the prongs are secured with respect -to each other v,by a cam plate 42 whichlis provided with a series ofaperturesM therein. Eachof the apertures 44 receives one of the prongs I4,

and the apertures 44 are shaped so that as the cam plate moves relative to the prongs I4 and from the position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 1 to a position closely adjacent the lower end of the tube I6, the lower end 4) of the prongs will be moved toward each other or radially inwardly so as to clamp the root of a weed between the prongs.

1n operation, the tool is vertically arranged and lined up so that the root of the weed will be in line with the center of the cam piate 42. When the operator exerts a downward force upon the handle I2, the prongs I4 will be pushed into the earth around the root of the weed, and the upper surface of the soil will engage the cam plate 42 and of course prevent the same from insertion into the soil so that the prongs I4 will move downwardly relative to the cam plate 42 until the cam plate 42 is positioned closely adjacent the lower end of the tube IU, the shape of the apertures 44 of the cam plate dtuing such relative movement causing the lower end of the prongs I4 to' move together for clamping the root of the weed therebetween. Thereafter, by oscillating the weeding tool about its vertical axis, the root of the weed clamped between the prongs I4 and the soil adhering thereto may be freed from the surrounding soil, and then the prongs I4, together with the root of the weed and the soil adhering thereto, may be removed from the earth by pulling upwardly on the handle I2.

Th cam plate 42 has a rod 46 secured thereto by means of nuts 48 which threadedly engage the threaded end of the rod 46 on the opposite sides of the cam plate 42, said rod extending through the ycentral opening in the retainer bushing 34 into the tube Ill. An ejecting spring 50 is confined between one of the lock nuts 48 and a collar 52 which is seated against a shoulder 54 internally provided on the tube Ill. The spring f) biases 'the cam plate 42 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1. The upper end of the rod 46h`as a lock nut 56 secured thereto, and a shockabsorbing spring 58 arranged around the rod 46 is confined between the nut 56 and a spacer and stop washer 60. The spacer and stop washer 60 is arranged transversely of the reduced portion 25 of the handle and between a plurality of prongs v62 formed thereon and a detachable stop andlock bar 64. The prongs 62, of which there are vfour in number', are formed by bending short strips or portions of the handle I2 inwardly and form a seat against which the spacer and stop washer 66 rests. The detachable stop and lock bar 64V (Fig. 5) has one end thereof bifurcated and straddles the rod 46. The ends of the lock bar 64 are arranged in aligned slots formed in the portion 25 of the handle and the upper end of the tube I0 for locking the handle I2 to the end of the tube. The lock bar 64 is adapted to be driven in place after the end 25 of the handle is fitted into the end of the tube, and when the slots therein are in alignment. The bifurcated end 65 of the lock bar 64 is adapted to straddle the rod 46. The inner end of the slot formed by the bifurcations in the bar 64 may be provided with a circular portion for receiving the rod 46 and with a throat or restricted portion 66 which cooperates with the rod 46 for holding the lock bar 64 in the position illustrated and against accidental displacement.

The reduced portion 25 of the handle also may be provided with another series of oppositely extending ngers or prongs 68 which provide a pivotal seat for one end of a shaft locking member 10. The member is provided with a central opening through which the rod 46 extends and also with an apertured lug 'I2 to which one end of a link i4 is connected. The link 'I4 extends through the bifurcation in the lock bar 64 and also through a slot formed in the stop washer 60. The other end of the link 'I4 is connected to one end of a bell crank 'I6 pivoted as illustrated on one of the screws I8 which hold the parts I6 of the handle together. The other end 'I8 of the bell crank is formed to provide a trigger and extends through a suitable opening provided in the handle I2 so as to be accessible for manipulation by a finger of the hand of an operator holding the tool by the hand grasp portion 20 of the handle. A spring held in position by the screw I8 to which the lever 'I6 is pivoted has one arm 82 thereof engaging the lower arm of the bell crank for resiliently holding the same in the position illustrated, while the other end of the spring 8U is seated against the inside surfaceof the handle I2. The trigger 18, upon manipulation thereof,` is designed to move the bell crank 'I6 in a counter-clockwise direction with respect to its pivot. The rod 46 has a fairly close t in the central opening in the locking member 10, and the locking bar l0 is arranged so as to permit the shaft 46 to move freely upwardly through the aperture in the locking member l0. However, as soon as the rod 46 tends to return to the position illustrated and moves downwardly through the opening in the locking member l0, the edges thereof, due to the cooking of the locking member l0, will engage the rod 46 and hold the same against return movement. However,` manipulation of the trigger 18 will move the free end of the locking member I0 sufficiently to free the rod 46 from the member 'I0 and permit the ejecting spring 56 to return the cam plate42 to the position illustrated in Fig. 1, thereby ejecting from the prongs the root and soil adhering thereto, which were clamped 'between the prongs I4 and withdrawn thereby from the earth. Upon the return or downward movement of the rod 46, the shock-absorbing spring 58 will take the thrust of the rod 46 and the cam plate 42 due to the force of the spring 50. Y

Due to the manner in which the prongs `I4 are secured to the lower end of the tube I0, it will be'apparent that the bushing 34 will be retained in place by the upper part 38 of the prongs I4. By removing the lower nut 48 from the rod 46, the cam plate 42 maybe removed and then each of the prongs I`4 may be removed by pivoting the same in sucha way as to disengage them from the slot 28 and the aperture 36.

While the invention has been described Awith some detail, it is to be understood that the description is for the purpose of illustration only and is not definitive of the limits of the inventive idea. The right is reserved to make such changes in the details of construction andarrangement of parts as will fall within the purview of the attached claims. Y

We claim:

l. In a weeding tool having prongs adapted when in closed position for engaging and holding a root, means constraining said prongs, toward a released position, locking mechanism associated with said prongs and operablelupon movement of. the same to closed position lfor holding such prongs in closed position, and a release for said locking mechanism, said constraining means being operable upon release of said locking mechanism for eecting ffrom'said prongs a roet held therebetween, and means for absorbing the shock Aincidental Y'to the release ol said locking mechanism.

2. In a weeding 'tool having prongs normally arranged in open position and adapted when in closed.v position for engaging and holding the root of a 'weed, locking mechanism associated with said prongs fand adapted forholding such prongs inv closed position, 'a 4handle fior said vtool and acontrol for lsaid lockingmec'h-an'ism arranged on saidhandle so as lto be accessible for manipulation by a linger of the hand of an operator holding said tool bysaid handle, said handle including -afhand grasp portion and a curved portion between said hand grasp portion and said tool, said control being arranged on the under side of said hand grasp portion adjacent said curved portion.

3. A weeding tool comprising a hollow tubular member, a plurality of prongs, one end of each of said prongs being pivotally connected to the lower end of said member, a handle secured to the other end of said member, a cam member having openings through which said prongs eX- tend, a rod connected to said cam member and extending into said tubular member, spring means biasing said cam member toward the free end oi said prongs, locking mechanism arranged within said tubular member and cooperable with said rod for holding said cam member adjacent the pivoted end of said prongs when said cam member is moved to such position, movement of said cam member from adjacent the free end of said prongs to adjacent the pivoted end of said prongs being adapted to move the free end Y of said prongs toward each other, and a releasing trigger for said locking mechanism connected thereto and arranged on said handle so as to be accessible for manipulation by a linger of the hand of an operator holding said tool by said handle.

4. In a weeding tool, a tube having a handle connected to one end thereof, a plurality of prongs, each having a hook portion, the other end of said tube being provided with a series of openings providing means cooperating with the hook portions of said prongs for pivotally supporting the same, a cam plate associated with said prongs and cooperable therewith for moving the same between their closed and open positions, a rod connected to said cam plate and extending into said tube, a spring biasing said cam plate to a position for holding said prongs in their open position, a pivoted shaft locking member having an opening through which said rod extends, the edges of said opening of said shaft lock member through which said rod extends being engageable with said rod for holding the same against movement in one direction responsive to said spring, and a trigger release arranged on said handle and connected to said shaft lock member for moving the same between their closed and open positions, a rod connected to said cam plate and extending into said tube, a spring biasing said cam plate to a position for holding said prongs in their open position, a pivoted shaft locking member having an opening through which said rod extends, the edges of said opening of said shaft lock member through which said rod extends being engageable with said rod for holding the same against movement in one direction responsive to said spring, and a trigger release arranged on said handle and connected to said shaft lock member lformoving the same1 so :asito iree saidrod there;-

from.V l i u; Y

Y5. In .a weeding `tool, atube .having ai'handle connected .to endend/thereof, .a plurality of prongs, `eachhaving a 'hook'portion the other 'end of :said tubel being :provided with a* series of openings providingl means cooperating with the hook portions lof saldi-prongs for pivotallysupporting thefsame, a cam plate vassociated with said prongs andcocperable therewith for moving `the same betweentheir closed andopen positions, a rod connected to said cam plate `andj'extending intozsaid tube, a 4spring biasing said cam plate to :alposition' for holding said prongs in their open position,.ra pivoted shaft locking member having an opening through which said rod extends, the edges of said opening of said shaft lock member through which said rod extends being engageable with said rod for holding the same against movement in one direction responsive to said spring, a trigger release arranged on said handle and connected to said shaft lock member for moving the same so as to free said rod therefrom, and. another spring associated with said rod and forming a resilient stop for limiting ithe movement .thereof responsive to said firstmentioned spring.

6. In a weeding :tool comprising a tubular member, tool means associated with one end of said tubular member, a handle member associated with the other end of said tubular member, the end of one :of said members being arranged in telescopi-c relationship with respect 'to the end of the other of said members, said ends of said members arranged in telescopic relationship being provided with aligned openings, and a bar removably secured in -said openings for securing said handle member to said tubular member.

7. In a weeding Itool comprising a tubular member, tool means associated with one end o-f said tubular member, a handle member associated with the other end of said tubular member, the end `of one of said members being arranged in telescopic relationship with respect to the end of the other yof said members, said ends of said members arranged in telescopic relationship being provided with aligned openings, a bar removably secured in said openings for securing said `handle member 'to said tubular member, said handle member comprising a pair of complementarily shaped members forming a hollow handle, and a control arranged at least partially within said hollow handle and connected to said tool means for operating the same.

8. In a weeding tool comprisingatubular member, tool means Iassociated with lone end of said tubular member, a handle member associated with the other end of said tubular member, the end of one of said members being arranged in telescopic relationship with respect to the end of the other of said members, said ends of said members arranged in telescopic relationship being provided with aligned openings, a bar removably secured in said openings for securing said handle member Ito sai-d tubular member, a rod connected to said tool means and extending through said tubular member, said bar having a resilient part Ithereof engageable with said rod for holding said bar against accidental displacement.

9. In a weeding tool, a tube having a handle secured to one end thereof, a plurality of prongs secured to the other end thereof, means associated with said prongs and operable for moving the same between their closed and open positions, a rod connected to 4said means and extending into said tube, a spring associated with said means and operable for rapidly moving the same so as to move said prongs to their open position and to eject from the prongs material hel-d thereby, locking means associated With said rod and operable for holding said prongs in their closed position, a release for said locln'ng means, and a second spring associated with said rod and cooperable therewith to form a resilient stop for limiting movement of said first-mentioned means responsive Ito said first-mentioned spring.

10. In a weeding tool, a tube, a bushing arranged in one vend thereof, said end of said tube and said bush-ing being provided with a series of aligned slots, said end of said tube also being provided with a series of openings aligned with said slots, a series of prongs, each of said prongs including a hook portion extending .through one of the slots in said tube, one of `the slots in said bushing, and through one of said openings in said tube for pivotally securing said prongs to the end of said tube, means cooperable with said prongs for moving the same between their open and closed positions, spring means urging said prongs toward their open posi-tions, and manually releasable means for holding said spring against operation When said prongs are in Itheir closed position.

RAYMOND J. PETZ.

WILLIAM J. KILPATRICK. 

